There is nothing like a horror story to cool you off in the dead of summer….. Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates is not for the faint of heart. Eight strangers trapped in a snowstorm, and one of them is a ruthless killer. Grab a cup of coffee, a blanket and perhaps turn on the lights for this intense thriller.
by Darcy Coates
Genres: Horror
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
From bestselling author Darcy Coates comes Dead of Winter, a remote cabin in the snowy wilderness thriller that will teach you to trust no one. There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run.
When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.
She couldn't be more wrong.
Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport...and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.
Christa and her boyfriend, along with a group of travelers, are on a bus headed to a resort in the Rocky Mountains. We learn this time of year is off season for the resort and that they will be the only guests. A downed tree turns into an unexpected turn of events when a snowstorm bears down on them, forcing them to abandon their bus and seek shelter. Soon after, the murders began…first their tour guide and the only one familiar with the area.
The only thing keeping this from a five star was the fact that I knew who the killer was quickly. I see many readers were taken by surprise. However, the story was well done as the survivors worked together while eyeballing each other. The murders themselves, while not shown, were horrifying. The murderer displayed them. Feel free to freak out as the author makes the reader feel as if they are trapped in that cabin. No heat, cut off from the outside world, with limited food and a killer among them. The tension was high.
The story is told from Christa’s point of view, and I connected with her from her tragic past to how she handled events as they unfolded. The why and how was clever, twisted and well done.
Fans of And Then There Were None, will enjoy this dark thriller. I highly recommend you add this to your horror and thriller TBR pile. I definitely plan to explore more of these authors’ titles.
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates. Eight strangers trapped in the snowstorm and one of them is a killer. #mysterythriller #horror #NewRelease Share on XAbout Darcy Coates
Darcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels. She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
Yep, I suspected early on who the killer was too! Still, this was horror movie fun!
Sophia Rose
I like this trapped together in a winter setting for a mystery so I can appreciate what a great situation it was for a horror story. Haha, this would chill one from the heat.